


Aurora

by vvitchering (Witchering)



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, Fluff, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Growing Up Together, M/M, Not Beta Read, Sneaking Out, Surprises, Young Witchers (The Witcher), soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:16:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28676550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witchering/pseuds/vvitchering
Summary: Pre-Trials, a young Eskel drags his best friend out of bed on a cold night for a surprise.
Relationships: Eskel & Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	Aurora

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be part of a larger collaboration story with my friend Anna, but we've both kind of cooled off on the witcher lately so I thought I'd go ahead and just post what I have done. They're twelve years old here, so no real ship content yet, but the larger story was meant to be an examination of their lives growing up and falling in love. I think at this point they're both starting to nurse new feelings for each other, Eskel especially.

It’s the dead of night and Eskel is wide awake. All around him the other boys are fast asleep, exhausted from a day spent alternately training and studying. Eskel is tired too, but excitement keeps his eyes open and his heart thudding quickly in his chest. There’s a plan to be put into motion, but he has to wait until he’s sure he won’t be caught and sent straight back to bed. He lies motionless on his cot for several more minutes before he cautiously sits up. Moonlight streams in from the small windows set into the upper parts of the far wall. As quietly as he can, Eskel slips from his bed and tip toes across the stone floor, counting beds as he goes. When he comes upon the eighth one, he bends to hurriedly shake it’s occupant awake. 

“Geralt!” Eskel whispers.

His friend’s eyes snap open and dart around wildly before he visibly calms as he realizes who’s come to wake him.

Eskel preemptively shushes him and begins pulling at the smaller boy’s arm excitedly. They have to go now while the coast is clear, or they’ll never make it to Eskel’s destination and the plan will be ruined. Geralt is still half wrapped in his blanket and rubbing his eyes sleepily so Eskel impatiently shoves boots and a coat into Geralt’s arms.

“Hurry up!” he hisses. 

Geralt barely has his clothes on before Eskel grabs his arm and tugs him toward the door. The heavy wooden door creaks as it opens and they both wince, but the corridor outside is deserted. Geralt yawns so widely his jaw pops. Eskel might feel bad for dragging him from his bed so late if not for the knowledge that what he’s about to show Geralt will be well worth the lost sleep. He has to rely on his memory alone to get them where they’re going, but the old keep has been their home for years now and Eskel knows these halls. 

Geralt, trusting soul that he is, doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t ask where they’re going or why they’re going there, content to follow where Eskel leads. It feels special to Eskel that Geralt still defers to him so willingly and easily. The redheaded boy is a hellion during training sessions. His skill with the sword is incredible but he’s become reluctant to follow orders. His stubborn streak has earned him extra chores and the odd beating or two but Eskel doesn’t think it’s a trait the masters will ever be able to train out of Geralt. 

They’re close now. One more staircase. The plan is almost complete. 

Footsteps sound behind them. Someone is coming. Being out of bed this late and this far from their dormitory will mean serious consequences for both of them if they’re caught and Eskel nearly panics. One of the first lessons they taught new recruits was to trust their instincts. Their lives as witchers would be full of split second decisions and a single bad choice was all that separated them from gruesome deaths. The trick, Eskel learned, was staying calm. They can hide and almost certainly be found immediately, or they can run like hell for the door.

Eskel glances at Geralt, who nods at him sharply. They’re in agreement. 

They run.

It’s a short sprint but Eskel still feels winded and lightheaded with adrenaline when they scramble through the door and close it as softly as they can manage. They take the stairs two at a time, scrambling to reach the top and put another door between themselves and their potential discoverer. Cool night air greets them as they pull open the tower door. They’re in one of the many old open air lookout posts. There is no furniture, no decoration, no indication that anyone has used this post in recent years. The sky stretches above them endlessly, dark and glittering with stars. 

“What are we doing up here, Eskel?”

“You’ll see. C’mere.”

He tugs Geralt to the far side of the tower and settles his elbows on the ledge. Geralt copies his motions, although Eskel notices with a burst of fondness that Geralt stands on his toes to close the slight height gap between them. It’s breezy and chilly in the open air so far up. Eskel is glad they brought their cloaks. 

The moon is full and the valley below the keep seems to glow with its light. The lake shimmers like silver in the distance. It’s beautiful but it’s not what Eskel dragged Geralt from his bed in the middle of the night to see. For that, it seems, they’ll have to wait a few moments longer. 

Geralt doesn’t seem impatient. He gazes out across the valley with a serene expression on his face. His hair is getting long, Eskel notices. The curls fall more like gentle waves now and Geralt often pushes through them with his fingers in an attempt to keep them out of his eyes. Eskel hopes the masters don’t make him cut it. The longer length suits him, somehow. Though they are fast approaching their thirteenth year, Geralt has retained much of his boyish appearance. To his annoyance, his face remains smooth while Eskel has already begun to sprout hair along his jaw. It’s a constant source of good-natured teasing that Eskel makes sure to never take too far. Geralt fears being left behind, even in these small unavoidable ways, and he never intentionally sets out to hurt his dearest friend. 

He’s so distracted by his thoughts that Eskel almost misses when the plan comes to fruition. Geralt gasps and his eyes go wide as they track something in the sky. Colors dance above their heads, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere. Ribbons of green and yellow flutter and flow like streams of water suspended in the air. Pink and purple splashes appear here and there, rippling and glowing. Eskel tears his eyes away from the colors to check Geralt’s reaction. He’s completely transfixed by the display and his mouth hangs slightly open in awe. Despite the chill in the air, Eskel feels warmth in his chest at his friend’s obvious enjoyment. 

They watch the dancing colors until they slowly fade away. Geralt’s eyes roam across the sky, searching out just one last glimpse. When the sky is once again dark, he turns to face Eskel. 

“How--why, I mean, what was all that?” Geralt asks, nearly breathless. 

“Northern Lights. I used to watch them when I was a kid, with my mom. I think. They seem familiar, anyway. They’re not always that easy to see and they’re not always there, but the time of year seemed right and the weather was nice today so I thought…”

Geralt looks bewildered. 

“What? Didn’t you like it?” Eskel asks, beginning to feel a bit foolish.

“Didn’t I-- _ Of course _ I liked it. But why keep it a secret?”

Eskel turns the question over in his mind, not quite sure himself why the plan had become a secret. 

“It was a present,” Eskel concludes, “Presents are always better when they’re a surprise.” 

Geralt is looking at him like he’s lost his mind, but there’s a soft smile playing on his lips this time. The warmth Eskel feels abruptly migrates to his face and he turns away to hide the blush. He clears his throat to break the silence.

“Alright, stop gawking and help me figure out how we’re getting back inside without getting caught. I didn’t think this far ahead.”

Geralt’s answering laughter is sweet and ringing in the night. 

**Author's Note:**

> I may still finish the larger story this is from. I have it all plotted out, I just haven't felt motivated to work on it. But I hope you enjoyed this little piece. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr under my new username @djarining  
> And on Twitter @vvitchering


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